Neuropteris

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Geology Collection

Neuropteris is the name for the foliage of certain seed ferns which grew in the tropical rainforests which covered Scotland during the Carboniferous Period (360-290 million years ago). Seed ferns grew mainly along the raised levees of rivers and came in a variety of shapes and sizes, from smallish trees to scrambling creepers. As the name implies, they used seeds to reproduce, and were amongst the earliest seed bearing plants on the planet. Seed ferns are now extinct.

Reference: 1896.192.nl

Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums